The Hurufat Printing Museum, located at Atatürk University in Erzurum, in eastern Anatolia of Türkiye, has been granted "private museum" status by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism.
According to a statement from the university, the Hurufat Printing Museum (Hurufat Baskı Müzesi), established with the motto "Writing the future with the letters of the past" and opened to visitors on Oct. 17 last year, was officially registered as a "private museum" as of June this year.
Recognized as the largest and most comprehensive printing museum in Türkiye, the institution’s inventory includes 40 machines and thousands of metal type letters (hurufat) and printing materials from the pre-printing, printing and post-printing processes.
Designed with a visual and hands-on museology approach, the museum offers visitors an immersive experience through its thematic sections, including typesetting, printing, bookbinding, offset printing and casting workshops.
The museum appeals to a wide audience – from researchers and academics interested in graphic design, typography and printing history to students and designers. It not only preserves traces of the past but also holds valuable knowledge that sheds light on the future.
Professor Mehmet Ferruh Haşıloğlu, the coordinator of the Hurufat Printing Museum, whose remarks were included in the statement, emphasized that this newly granted status is a significant achievement for both Atatürk University and the region's cultural heritage.
Haşıloğlu noted that the university's old printing house, which holds a significant place in its institutional memory, was transformed into a museum through a cultural renewal and added:
“This transformation is not only a gesture of respect toward the past but also a reflection of our effort to leave a strong legacy for the future. Being granted private museum status is one of the clearest indications that this effort has been recognized. With these sentiments, I extend my thanks to our rector, professor Ahmet Hacımüftüoğlu, for enabling us to bring such a historically enlightening museum to the public and we warmly invite all art enthusiasts interested in traditional printing methods to visit us.”
